Late in the afternoon, we visited Flight A at Tired Bottom Farm. Series 4 is a walk-up land/water triple with diversion bird as well as a land and a water blind using all mallard ducks. The steep terrain is the major factor in this set up. The line is at the top of a valley sloping down to a very small pond which if it was any smaller would be considered a "pot hole." The flyer is the middle bird shot to the right down the hill with the area of the fall 50 yards from the line. The left-hand second bird is thrown right down a slight bank landing in medium cover 75 yards from the line. Then a big swing to the right-hand bird which landed on the shore on the far side of the pond at 105 yards. The diversion bird was thrown left into decoys upon the return from the first bird retrieved landing 55 yards to the right of the line. The line to the water blind took in the same terrain and factors as the right-hand bird due to the water blind being approximately 25 yards left and 20 yards deep of the right-hand bird. The land blind is to the left of the left-hand bird through a key hole 75 yards from the line.
While we were at the test, it was a even split between the dogs choosing to retrieve the flyer or right bird first. The line to the flyer was down the slope onto a flat with a large group of bushy trees on the right hand side of the area of the fall. The line to the second bird angled down the slope with suction from the flyer station. There was potential for the dogs to fall off the hill and start hunting behind the flyer station and potentially returning to the area of the flyer. The line to the right-hand bird was 75 yards down the slope onto a flat area prior to squaring the pond, across the pond and up the far bank to retrieve the bird. Next dogs had to hold the line across the slope, through a key hole to the land blind. Once again all the blinds were brushed very well and blended into the scenery beautifully.
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